


Hungry Eyes

by theberrygirl14



Category: The Order (TV 2019)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Archaeology, F/M, I love Hamish haha, I'm trying my best with research but of course I'm not an expert, Inaccurate Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Just For Fun!, Like everything is peachy keen, Magic, Mythology References, Prophecy, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Romance, Set in that sweet spot before season 2, Supernatural - Freeform, Violence might change later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:27:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25248409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theberrygirl14/pseuds/theberrygirl14
Summary: After leaving her home in Greece, Sophia Green finds herself on the doorstep of Belgrave University holding a piece of paper with Vera Stone's name on it. She's alone, her family splintered after a tragic accident. When strange things start to happen Sophia doesn't know where to turn, but luckily the Knights of St. Christopher, and Hamish Duke in particular, step up to protect her from the evils of dark magic. As the clock ticks Sophia finds herself pulled between two choices; and she knows choosing might just break her heart. Will Hamish and Sophia be able to put together the missing pieces and stop a curse from attacking Belgrave? Or will the sacrifice prove to be too much for someone who never asked for any of this to happen?
Relationships: Alyssa Drake/Jack Morton, Hamish Duke/Original Female Character(s), Lilith Bathory/Randall Carpio
Comments: 8
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! I'm very excited to be taking the plunge into writing for The Order and I've got quite a story in store for you. Right now there's a lot of chapters that I want to write so plan on this being a bit longer :) Sorry if the summary sucks haha I promise I'm just bad at condensing. 
> 
> Thank you for reading and please feel free to leave feedback! I'm so excited to get going with this

“Well Sophia, how would you like to proceed then?”

Vera Stone leaned back in her expensive chair and took in the young woman in front of her. Tall, dark features, annoyingly long legs. She had somehow managed a perfect flick for her eyeliner and Vera watched her eyes roam around the room to buy some time, taking in the artifacts and searching the nooks and crannies for their secrets. Luckily she had the thought to leave the more interesting ones hidden in a place that was only accessible by invitation. 

“Not that I’m against change, but that’s not your first name, is it?” Sophia shook her head and rubbed her arm. “I had a chance to briefly know the woman you are named after. She was truly spectacular, I’m sorry for your loss.”

Sophia and Vera were vaguely related. Distant cousins. That side of the family moved to Europe and settled down in Greece, although the last name Green wasn’t particularly striking. It felt...American. Like a cover for something. Maybe Vera was being paranoid. 

“My grandmother Sophia? She never mentioned she knew our family in the states. It’s been...hard.” Sophia answered lamely, and took a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking again. “I’ve been thinking. I’d like to be enrolled here to get a masters degree in archaeology. I just finished my bachelors and know that’s what I want to continue studying.”

“Archaeology, really? You don’t strike me as the digging around in the dirt kind of girl,” Vera mused. 

Sophia took it in stride. “That’s because I’m more of the research in the lab and publish papers kind of girl.”

She had some fight in her, that was good. This campus had one problem after another and Vera didn’t need to be sending a different acolyte every night to make sure Sophia was alright. She had enough to deal with. 

“Well I can see about getting you a room set up nearby and putting in a good word with the dean about you being in the program. Classes start soon and I can’t arrange every detail for you, but you know where to find me if something comes up. Although I’m usually bouncing from one thing to another.” A knock on the door proved her point and Vera stood, giving her cousin a tight smile and preparing to send her on her way. 

Sophia smiled and pulled her backpack over one shoulder. Vera was everything she had imagined; tough, perfectly dressed and pointed, and very much in charge. She had an affinity for darker colors but then again most of Belgrave University did. Lots of old dark bricks and deep stained wood. It was professional. Cold. Anonymous. 

As she turned to open the heavy wooden doors Vera spoke. “Remind me, Ms. Green. If Sophia is your middle name, your first name is…?”

“Phemonoe. An old Greek name.”

Vera’s grip on the back of her chair tightened and she seemed to freeze in place. “No doubt a family name?”

“I think so, yeah,” Sophia shrugged. The name felt clunky in her mouth and she had always preferred using Sophia. 

“Oh.” Vera nodded and waved a hand for her to be dismissed. “Right. I’ll send someone to show you your new place this evening. Until then make yourself busy on campus, there is plenty to see. They’ll meet you in front of the library at 5.” The door opened and a blonde man around Sophia’s age held it open for her before darting in to speak with Vera. Sophia marveled at the pace the people in this place seemed to move, very used to the Mediterranean way of life and finding herself homesick already. 

It had been less than two weeks since she had fled Greece. _Left_ , she had _left_ Greece, she caught herself. It was honestly a blur and she hadn’t had enough time to properly sit down and analyze it. All she had was some suitcases and a slip of paper with Vera’s name and address sticking out of her passport when she boarded the flight out of Athens. She couldn't look back, that part of her life was over and apparently done with. 

Her father had sent her to America to find Vera knowing the woman worked a high position at the university. He thought it was the safest way to protect her and Sophia couldn’t argue. There hadn’t been time. 

With nowhere to go until someone brought her to her new apartment Sophia went back to the hotel room she had been crashing in and started cleaning her things up. The college campus was charming and had plenty to explore but she knew there would be time for that later. Staring at her room she realized how out of place she felt. Her clothes were strewn across the room and the pillows had somehow made their way to the floor, along with most of the blankets and sheets. That morning Sophia took nearly 45 minutes to choose an outfit after trying for days to meet Vera. Normally she was organized and controlled. 

She picked up a conch shell that was in her ‘things’ pile and rubbed her thumb over the familiar surface. Most of the bumps had been rubbed smooth, both from its time spent in the ocean and the motion of Sophia’s hands over the years. She loved this shell. It had been found on a trip to the ocean with her grandmother and she said it held a special history that only she could protect. It had made her smile, and her sun warmed memory carried with her even after the death of her beloved grandmother. She had been an essential part of Sophia’s life for as long as she could remember; they lived in the same house and let her get away with everything, encouraging her granddaughter to explore and learn and laugh. It was hard to know someone who had such an influence on you would never be seen again. 

After nearly an hour of shaking herself of distractions Sophia had managed to gather her belongings and stuff them back into her two suitcases and backpack. She shut the hotel room door and checked out, making her way slowly back to campus. Fall in the states was so different than anything she had experienced before; the crackling leaves and cool breezes made her wish for warmer clothes. 

No one was in front of the library at 5 so she sat on a bench and watched the people pass by. Most of them were from around the area. Belgrave seemed to be a local university with cliques and groups as tight knit as families, the word sending a jolt through her chest. Sophia’s father had sent her sister somewhere else but refused to speak about it, saying being separated was the only safety he could provide them until their mother returned. And no one knew how long that would take. She stared at her phone as if thinking the wish would allow a number to appear. 

“Hey, are you Sophie?”

Sophia looked up to find a 20 something year old standing in front of her, wearing jeans, a white tee, and a dark jacket. He looked kind, offering her a smile and sticking his hand out for a greeting. His eyes sparkled blue in the evening light and his blonde hair somehow caught the last rays of sun as it moved over the horizon. 

“Sophia. Did Vera send you?”

The boy chuckled. “Sorry about that. Yeah, she said you needed help moving to your new place. Is this all you have?” 

Sophia shrugged one shoulder and stood to shake his hand. With her overstuffed suitcases and backpack it felt like a lot, but the weight of it nearly threatened to rip her arms out of their sockets and she knew she needed assistance. 

“I’m Jack. She gave me the address, let’s get you home.” 

He reached out and took her backpack and a suitcase leaving Sophia with only one to pull and started walking at an easy pace, making sure to stay next to Sophia the whole time. He chatted casually as he took her on an impromptu tour of Belgrave. He was overly polite and offered to pull both suitcases but Sophia refused. 

“And that’s the chem building, Vera said you were into some kind of science?”

“Archaeology,” Sophia replied, appreciating the brief overview of the campus on her way to her apartment. At least she would know where to go now.

“Oh sick, I love dinosaurs!” Jack exclaimed. His eyes lit up as Sophia groaned and laughed at the same time. 

“Close, but it’s actually the study of history and culture through physical remains.” Sophia paused for a moment. “I sound like a textbook. It’s...dead people and their stuff, to put it crudely.”

Jack laughed, a full laugh where he threw his head back and nearly grabbed his belly. “Man, you sound like my friend. Sounds awesome though. I think I took one class last year about it as a pre rec but most of it was a blur. I’m still not decided about my major.”

“Do you know what you love?” Sophia knew following your heart was the most important. 

Jack thought for a moment. “Sure, but there’s too many options. My grandpa told me to follow the money, my friends say follow my heart, it’s just overwhelming at times.”

“I agree with your friends. If you do something without your heart it won’t last long.” Sophia was shocked at how comfortable she was talking to Jack after such a short time. Normally she was not one to open up easily. 

“Another vote to follow my heart. Great,” he laughed. “I think we’re almost there, Vera hooked you up not too far from campus.” 

He stopped in front of an older looking building made of grey cement blocks. The black framed windows stood out stylishly and the lawn was nicely manicured with flower beds and bright green grass. It was a quiet street that had a feeling of safety and Sophia sent a silent prayer to Vera for putting her here. 

“This is very nice. Reminds me of home,” it tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop it and she silently cursed herself, knowing it would open a floodgate that this nice boy didn’t need to hear. 

“You must miss it, huh?” Jack asked softly. “Vera said something bad made you have to leave and come here alone.”

“Greece is an extraordinary place.” It was all she could muster without crying. 

Jack surprised her by grabbing the suitcase and backpack again, heading for the building. “Well, I’m not letting you spend your first night at Belgrave alone. Let’s drop these off and go grab some dinner!”

“But I hardly know you,” she mused. 

“All the more reason to go then.”

Inside Sophia was met with a pleasant entry. There was nothing particularly special about the building. It was clean with warm lighting and soft music. It took two keys to enter and another for the elevator so she knew she would be safe, and the ride to the fourth floor was smooth. As soon as Jack gave her the key to open the room it hit her that she was here to stay in America for a while, and she turned away from him as she choked back a sob that snuck up unexpectedly. Jack pretended not to notice and offered to bring her bags to the bedroom to give her a moment. 

The apartment was completely furnished. Sophia stood shocked but Jack gently moved past her and brought the giant bags into the bedroom off to the left. The kitchen was somewhere to her right as the front door led right into the living room. It was colorful and tasteful, and somehow Sophia knew Vera had a hand in picking out every item in this room even if she only had a few hours. There wasn’t much in the way of decorations but she had enough staples to get her by until she decided to make it more her home. 

Opposite the front door was a wall of windows that ran the length of the sitting room and Sophia admired the view of the city down below. Red and blue lights twinkled at her like an invitation to get to know this strange new place. 

A thought struck Sophia. 

“Jack, did Vera pay for all of this?”

A thud came from the bedroom followed by a grunt, Sophia guessed he had moved one of the heavy suitcases. A moment later he emerged and looked around the room

“Vera is loaded. Like multiple houses _and_ a boat kind of loaded. If she did, she’ll never say anything about it. Or it was all hers to begin with.” 

“I feel terrible she went through all that trouble,” she said softly. It probably put her distant cousin completely out of her way. 

“Look,” Jack walked over. “Vera Stone just does this. It’s always 110% with her, nothing less. I wouldn't worry too much because honestly if she didn’t want to she wouldn't. Now, are you hungry? I’m starved and meeting some friends and you’re welcome to join.”

Sophia laughed. She was hungry but she couldn't tell if Jack was just being nice. After a moment of hesitation he motioned to the door and she broke, walking through first and making sure to lock up after them.

“Where are we eating?” 

“Trust me,” Jack smiled. “You’ll love it.”

  
  
  


“Jack, you do know I’m _Greek_ , right? Not Italian?”

Sophia sat across from Jack in a packed restaurant as they waited on the second half of their party. A photo shopped image of the Leaning Tower of Pisa made out of bread sticks graced the cover and inside were more landmarks made of food. In large, loopy writing the name _Italy's Treasure_ was stuck on the front. It was hilarious to see what people in America considered to be authentic European food.

“Well, we have a gyro cart that drives around but it’s shit so I figured this was the next closest thing. Does it look okay?”

Sophia sighed as her stomach answered for her. “Honesty it’s been a long day so I’ll eat anything at this point.”

“That’s my kind of girl!” A voice said from behind her. 

Sophia turned to see a tall, lanky brunette high five Jack and sit down next to him, his eyes glued to Sophia the whole time. With one hand he reached out and grabbed a few bread sticks from the basket on the table and stuffed large pieces into his mouth, finishing off the appetizer in just a few bites. 

“Randall Carpio, glad you could join us.” He wiped his hand on his pants before extending it out to Sophia and shaking her hand enthusiastically. “Sorry we’re late, Lilith had to finish some homework before we left.”

“You didn’t say someone was joining us,” A dark haired girl said coldly as she fell into the seat next to Sophia. She had dark eyes to match as she stared Sophia down. Sophia didn’t know what else to do except read her menu and feel Liltih’s glare on her side.

Jack stifled a sigh and told Lilith to behave. She huffed and hid her face in the menu. 

“No Hamish?” Jack asked as he checked his phone. 

“He was stuck doing some work for Krowchuck prepping the beginning of semester stuff. Papers and tests,” Randall explained with a shudder. “But I’m sure he would want to. Dinner in a classy place with a pretty girl.”

“I feel sorry for whoever you date if you think this is classy,” Lilith told Randal sarcastically. He gave her a look and she kicked him under the table. Sophia thought the dynamic was hilarious and tried to casually observe the three friends as they settled into a meal together. 

After they ordered Randall asked Sophia the standard beginner questions. Where was she from, why did she leave, how did she like things so far. The two chatted easily as Lilith ignored them and ate bread dipped in olive oil and vinegar. Every so often she would shoot a look at Sophia but it was easy enough to brush off. Being the only girl in a group of boys set a precedent and it was hard to upset that balance. 

Apparently the three, no, four including the missing one, lived together and were very close friends. They had inside jokes and were very intune to one another; seemingly inseparable despite having individual responsibilities. It was truly a great friendship that they shared and try as Sophia might she felt the ugly head of jealousy roar within her. Even Lilith who never warmed to her throughout the evening laughed and joked with Randall and Jack. At least the two boys were nice and tried to include her in conversations about things she didn’t understand. Like Jack’s half girlfriend. And Randall’s desire to go into the medical field despite some secret joke with Jack and Lilith. And Lilith in general. The two were quick to poke fun at the woman and Sophia had the urge to defend her, as resentful as she was. 

Eventually the evening came to a close and the four paid and left, breathing in the evening air. The three offered to walk Sophia the few blocks home and she protested at first but they all admitted they needed to walk off the plate of pasta they had inhaled. Randall moved up next to Sophia and talked about soccer, or football as she knew it, the whole way home. It was nice to revel in the subject and make her feel at ease in a strange new place. 

The cool crisp air was a shock to Sophia’s skin and she wrapped her arms around herself subconsciously. Randall, walking next to her, may have taken notice but didn’t mention it as they progressed further away from the university. 

Eventually they came to a stop. 

“This is me,” Sophia breathed, eager to run upstairs and get dressed in something warmer. Jack made sure she had all the keys and gave her a surprise hug goodnight, saying he hoped to see her again soon. Randall made sure she had their numbers programmed into her phone and joked that the building was like a second home before fist bumping her. Lilith looked her up and down and huffed out to have a good night. Sophia waved the three off and walked into her new apartment, dazed at the turn the day had taken. 

The ding of the elevator alerted her to just how worn out she was. Her bones were cold and tired and she felt the weight from the past few days catching up. It was a strange transition to be alone yet taken care of. She wondered how long Vera’s hospitality would last. 

Inside things were just as she had left them. The unfamiliar furniture greeted her and she quickly made her way to the shower, eager for the steam to wash away the stress the day had brought her. 

Sophia was in a new home. 

Alone. 

In a new country with new people and places to get to know. 

She may never see her real home again, and her heart ached at the thought of losing her family. 

At least the sound of the shower drowned out her thoughts. 

After her shower she crawled into bed with every intention of rushing off to sleep, but lying beneath the strange white sheets Sophia couldn't turn her brain off. Finally she threw back the covers and padded her way into the living room to look for a book, thinking that would help her. The walls were lined with shelves and only a few titles graced them but nothing appealed to Sophia. She flopped onto the couch and groaned, hoping the rest of her time here would be easier than the first day. It almost made her miss the hotel she had been staying at. 

Something made a sound and she sat up, thinking of the shell from earlier. Jack must have unpacked it earlier as she hadn’t seen it lying in her bags. Sophia found it after a few minutes of digging and made her way back to the living room, enjoying the familiar weight in her hands. She would give anything to speak to her grandmother right now and ask for advice. Hell, she would take any of her family just to hear a familiar voice. 

As the desire to see her grandmother grew, the shell in her hands got warmer and warmer, almost as if it filled itself with the memory of their day on the ocean shore. Sophia closed her eyes and imagined the color of the sky and the sound of the crashing waves, and suddenly everything went black. 

The couch beneath her disappeared and Sophia cried out. She was falling endlessly through darkness; wind blew her hair around and chilled her skin as she tried to suck in a breath. It was cold, and nothing could be heard over the rushing in her ears as she tried to understand what was happening. 

The movement stopped and Sophia felt her feet plant firmly on the ground again. Several heartbeats passed before she opened her eyes slowly, dumbfounded at the sight before her. 

She was back at the beach that day she found the shell, everything was the same. The cloudless sky, the warm summer breeze, and there just up ahead her grandmother smiled directly at her. 

Sophia’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest as she collapsed on the ground, realizing the sand beneath her feet was as real as could be. She ran her fingers through the grains and watched it move like water back into its original formation. Above her the sounds of seagulls flooded her senses and Sophia tried to pinch her arm to wake up. She thought she must have fallen asleep, she was simply dreaming, but as the echo of crashing waves surrounded her it was more and more apparent that this was somewhat real. What in the world was going on?

“Grandma! Come and see what I found,” a small voice called from the shallow water. 

Sophia looked up and was shocked at the sight. It was her at eight years old, running across the beach. The same outfit. The same feelings. The same expression of joy on her face. Was she inside of a memory?

“Come, child. Let me see,” Her grandmother waved her close. 

Young Sophia ran without abandon and held the conch shell out for her grandmother to see. She was quickly swept up into her arms and together they examined the shell, discussing every nook and cranny that the ocean had designed for it.

Real Sophia was unsure if she could be detected or not and slowly crept up behind the two. She was just out of sight but could hear everything they said.

“Ah, this is an important shell. Did you see the owner leave it or did you find it unoccupied?” The young Sophia simply shook her head and looked down coyly. Sophia remembered finding it in the shallows with nothing inside. 

“I don’t know, it was pretty so I took it.”

“Little one,” her grandmother laughed. “I think it is yours then. Do you know why this shell is so important?”

Sophia squinted at it and said she didn’t know.

“Well,” her grandmother sat down and pulled her granddaughter into her lap. “Sometimes things we find hold a history. They’re molded and shaped by what they remember and that makes them special. Only certain people can see these memories, it takes a very special heart.” 

Sophia looked up at her grandmother with big brown eyes. “Am I special Grammy?”

“Yes darling, I think you are.”

Young Sophia beamed while looking down at the shell knowing she shared some sort of secret. 

In a more serious tone, her grandmother continued while running her hand over the young girl’s hair. “There will be a time when you must learn, but I won’t be able to teach you. That is our curse.” For a moment her grandmother looked out into the crashing waves and Sophia felt a tear run down her cheek at the look of sadness on her grandmother’s face. “But! Let’s enjoy this while we can, tell me all about this new shell of yours.”

The young girl held the shell over her head like a hat and her grandmother laughed at what she said, but Sophia had trouble hearing. She tried to take a step forward to be able to hear but the same rushing sound from before was getting louder and louder and she couldn't fight it. In one last attempt to stay she yelled out for her grandmother, feeling like the small child sitting in her lap but she didn’t hear her as everything went black again. 

A ringing noise filled Sophia’s ears as she woke up back in her new apartment, bolting upwards and shaking from head to toe. The shell dropped from her hands onto the sofa below and Sophia scrambled away from it. 

Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking and she suddenly felt exhausted but Sophia worried about going straight to bed. What had just happened? Was it really a memory like her grandmother had said? Or was it some kind of dream that just felt real after the events of the last few weeks?

A searing pain ripped up her left arm, causing her to double over and gasp. For a blinding moment Sophia was in pure agony. As suddenly as it came it was gone, her arm perfectly fine and unaffected. She turned it every way to examine it but had no clue what had caused it.

Sophia stood in her living room alone, wishing more than anything she could talk to someone who actually knew her. Looking at the clock it was much too late to reach out to Vera, and she wasn’t sure what she would say. She had a bad dream and fell asleep on her arm wrong? No, she knew she should get some rest and figure it out in the morning. Her brain was exhausted from all the change, that had to be it. 

The next day Sophia prepared to go talk to the head of archaeology when she got a text from an unknown number. 

_Need to meet with you._

Seeing as she didn’t know who sent it she shrugged it off and put her phone down. Another quick buzz made her pick it back up and let out a small laugh. 

_Now. -Vera_

Her cousin was nothing if not persistent. Sophia made a coffee and left for the day, wondering just what was in store for her in that dark mysterious office.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back for more!! I'm so excited to dive into this story, thank you all so much for reading and I can't wait to show you more!

Sophia sat waiting outside of Vera’s office while she finished up her earlier meeting. She could hear two voices raised going back and forth about something, and they got to a point that even the assistant outside the tall doors paused in the middle of her email to try and listen in on what was going on. After a few minutes the door was ripped open and a dark haired woman stalked out, throwing a file at the assistant and giving Sophia an incredibly nasty look. She yelled something about being done with the charade and left without another word. Vera’s assistant shook her head and muttered something under her breath that Sophia couldn't hear. 

“Ms. Green, I apologize you had to see that. Please, come in.” Vera looked tired but ushered her cousin into her office. 

“Who was that?”

“Oh,” Vera sat with a sigh. “Just...doesn’t matter. Do you know why I called you in?”

Sophia looked at Vera quizzically. “No?”

The older cousin shot Sophia a look. “The dean of archaeology is on her way and I wanted to prepare you. There is a spot waiting for you in the master’s program granted you can pass the interview.”

Sophia swore lightly under her breath and rubbed her jaw while looking at the floor. Vera simply raised one perfectly sculpted brow at the crude mutter. “I expect you to do well, and looking at your academic history you won’t let me down. Now, what have you brought to prove you can do well there?”

For the next half an hour the two women put together a portfolio and Sophia got a better look at the woman who hid beneath the shield of armor. Vera was tough, but also cared so much for those around her it was obvious to anyone who could see. She was fiercely loyal and strong. And could command the hell out of a room. As soon as the dean walked in Vera was in charge, and no one doubted it. 

“Please, Dr. Brooks, Welcome. This is my cousin Sophia Green who I emailed you about.”

“Ah, Ms. Green!” The dean was an older woman with grey, curly hair and a smile that stretched a mile wide. “Heard lots of good things. What brings you all the way from Greece?”

Sophia smiled and proceeded to tell her story for a third time to a stranger, but Dr. Brooks was kind and made Sophia feel welcome. Vera typed away at her computer while the other two talked about life and eventually school sitting across from her in large leather chairs. The interview took about 45 minutes and was mostly Dr. Brooks grilling Sophia about different aspects of archaeology and what she had learned at her previous college. 

“Now, I run a tight ship but I’d be happy to have you join if that’s what you want,” Dr. Brooks finally said. Sophia was taken back by her choice of words. It seemed so...parental. 

“Yes. I really do want to continue my studies, I’d love to work in museums and help preserve and change history one day,” Sophia answered honestly. 

“Then it’s settled! I’ll send you the courses tonight. You’ll need to TA a few classes of course, but that’s more so you get the undergrad materials and make sure you know your peers. There’s five others, but I think you’ll like them. Plus you and the other master’s students have mixers to mingle and whatnot.” Dr. Brooks shook Sophia’s hand and stood to leave. 

Before she got to the door, Dr. Brooks turned around. “I know this is highly unusual. Most students go through rigorous application processes and there’s a good chance that you won’t be accepted. But Ms. Stone explained your situation and by looking at your grades, I want you to know it isn’t special treatment. Everyone will treat you like an equal and you’ll be expected to perform like one. Just...wanted to make that clear.”

“Thank you, Dr. Brooks. We appreciate your time,” Vera thanked her for coming and shut the door behind her. 

“Do you teach here too?” Sophia asked. 

Vera leaned back against the door. “In a sense.”

“Is that boy Jack in my program?” 

“Jack Morton? Heavens no,” she crossed back to her desk opposite of Sophia. “He’s an underclassman. Most of his group is, I think. Maybe not that blonde...Anyways. I have an unpleasant meeting coming up which I think you should steer clear of.” 

Vera dismissed Sophia with a heavy sigh and suggested she check out the bookstore for supplies she would need on her first day. It was rapidly approaching and most grad students had already started shadowing their mentors to prepare for the school year so Sophia had some catching up to do. She made her way across campus and through the small groups of people before finding herself at the register of the bookstore grabbing a supply list. 

“First day?” The man behind the counter asked Sophia as she double checked her list. 

“No, not really. More like the second time around” she wheezed as she threw 4 giant books and a million notebooks and pens onto the counter for checkout. 

“Ah, grad student. Cool.”

The total was higher than she expected and Sophia decided to head straight back to the apartment to avoid breaking her back. And her wallet, she thought, as she piled everything into a few plastic bags to ride the bus home with. It was a struggle to get through the door but she let everything spill out across the entryway as she just wanted to let it go. Books and pens fell to the floor with a careless abandon, knowing none of their actions affected the world except to put Sophia out of her way. 

She made her way to the bedroom to start organizing when the conch shell caught the corner of her sight. Sophia threw it a dirty look and flopped backwards on the bed. 

Hopefully the first day of actual school would be smooth sailing.    
  


One week later after the beginning of term, Sophia knew things would not be calm like she hoped. 

She had been assigned to an archaeology 200 level class after discussing her interests with the dean and picked a few classes to get started with. It was enjoyable so far, but Sophia still felt lonely as she didn’t really know anyone. Vera didn’t count. Jack had texted her about going to a bar soon and she wanted to go, but they hadn’t set a date yet. It sounded like he rarely left without his group. 

Sophia had been given a small office that she shared with a few other TA’s. They all seemed new too, scrambling around to fit in and find their place. It somehow made Sophia feel less lost knowing she wasn’t alone being uncomfortable. 

Being a TA turned out more draining than Sophia had thought it would be. The professor she worked with would often leave halfway through lecture, leaving Sophia to answer questions on her own. Most of the time they were thoughtful, but one sunny Friday left the students eager to leave. 

“Sophia, what does CRM mean?”

A loud snicker rang through the group as Sophia groaned internally. It was the third day of class and all the students knew damn well what cultural resource management was. 

“I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?”

“Ooh, some sass today!” The young man responded. 

She shot him a dark look and stole a glance at her watch. Ten minutes left, she could let them go early, right?

“Alright, get out of here. Remember to go over the vocab in chapter four and I want half a page on Monday about what you learned.” The class stood quickly but groaned at her words. “It’s only half a page!”

The students shuffled out, some calling to Sophia to have a good weekend as she wiped down the board her professor had used for a few minutes. As she finished, someone coughed from the doorway. 

“Randall!” Sophia smiled and felt genuine happiness to see him. 

“‘Sup, Sophia! How are classes going?” Randall slung his backpack to the ground and leaned back in a chair as he watched Sophia tidy up the class. 

“Not too bad, hoping the professor actually stays in class for a full day but I won’t complain. I don’t mind being a TA.” She wiped her hands on her jeans and sat next to Randall, relishing that warm feeling that could only come with the careless abandon of a Friday. 

“We were thinking of going out tonight! Thought you might want to join. Shake off that first week of class blues,” he suggested. Randall leaned closer and rested his chin on a hand to observe Sophia. 

She just laughed. The tall brunette had an easy humor to him. Sophia tried to think of an excuse but nothing came to mind. “Alright, where are we headed?”

“Whoo!” Randall threw both fists into the air. “Well come pick you up. Just be ready around seven, I’m ready to par-tay!” He bounced up and held his hand up for a high five that Sophia met with a little reluctance. Randall exuded so much energy it was hard to keep up with, but Sophia knew the hermit persona she had taken on was something she would need to shake. 

It wasn’t easy living alone, but one of the perks was being able to play loud music without anyone coming in to stop you. Sophia blasted her favorite tracks and sang along as she got dressed and did her makeup. The clubs in America were nothing like they were back at home, people were much more casual so she had to downplay her image to be tame and passing as casual. A knock on the door had Sophia running towards the front room in her heeled boots. Skinny dark jeans, a white striped shirt, and dark green jacket felt comfortable when she opened to see Jack and Randall. Jack followed the older boy after he barged into her place holding a large case of canned beer and gave Sophia’s arm a quick squeeze.

“Sorry for Randall, we usually pregame at our place but we had to leave or Lillith would have killed us.”

“Is she not coming?” Sophia’s heart contracted at the thought of being the only girl out despite Lilith’s less than warm welcome. 

Randall shook his head after opening the three drinks. “Got stuck doing some homework, she has to head back to campus tonight. I’m sure she’d much rather be going to the bar with us though, trust me.”

Great. She shook her head at what she got herself into as she drank her beer. She noticed Jack hadn’t touched his and she tapped her can against his lightly, raising her eyebrows at his phone which he had been glued to. 

“Sorry,” he shook his head. “How was your first week?”

Sophia felt looser after the alcohol had warmed her up a bit. “A lot. Girl troubles?” Jack nodded. “Who is she?”

“Ugh,” Randall let out a long groan. He cracked open a third can as he walked over to the windows and leaned against them dramatically. “Alyssa Drake. You know her?” He continued after Sophia shook her head. “Jack’s on and off again. I think they’re off again right now.” 

Jack shot his friend a look and Randall made his way to stand behind Sophia, using her as armor. She laughed as he pulled her around this way and that to block Jack. The two boys were close, they must have known each other for years. 

“Alyssa is my girlfriend,” Jack replied. Randall scoffed. “Okay, maybe girlfriend is too strong. We...actually I don’t know. But she’s been there for me through a lot and I trust her. She’s amazing; she’s strong and talented and driven. I think you’d like her.”

Sophia agreed, thinking it would be nice to have more girlfriends. 

“Enough of the drama! Each of you chug another beer, I’m calling the Uber,” Randall commanded. Sophia watched, impressed as he downed his can and slammed it on the counter, crunching it into a thin piece. Jack followed suit and Sophia tried to copy them with unsuccessful results. 

Twenty minutes later the three fell out of the Uber downtown, laughing at something Randall had said. Sophia had lost count of how many drinks he had put into his pockets and snuck for her and Jack to have on the drive. She found herself opening up to the boys as her drink count climbed and the three relaxed. 

“Oh, do you hear what they’re playing?” Sophia asked excitedly. The world was in the beginning stages of spinning in her vision. 

Jack groaned. “I forgot it was dance night. You sure you guys want to go?” The thumping of the bass was intoxicating and Sophia nodded along in time, eager to let loose and relax with her new friends. She offered to pay and lead the three inside. 

Once the room stood still she found herself inside a large warehouse looking structure. To one side was a packed bar and scattered tables, and the rest was a giant dancefloor that had so many bodies on it Sophia couldn't begin to count. People sang along and shouted as they danced in time to the music. 

Randall moved right and left with the song and Sophia’s impatience finally broke. “Let’s go!” He lit up and grabbed her hand, nearly dragging her to the dancefloor. Jack laughed and said something about a table, most of his words drowned out through the crowd as Sophia beamed with happiness and let the rhythm take over as the song washed around her.

_ Somebody said you got a new friend. Does she love you better than I can? _

Randall moved his hands above his head as he danced. The spot where his hand had been on her arm felt hot, her skin tingling in a strange sensation. Sophia watched as he moved around. He made funny faces while he danced and she laughed, unsure of whether it was the intoxication from the crowd or the booze that got to her. 

_ I know where you at, I bet she’s around. Yeah, I know it’s stupid. I just gotta see it for myself. _

Sophia felt her hips take over her body and she wiggled around them, taking up little room on the dancefloor. Not being a great dancer most of her moves were comprised of pointing and jumping, but she loved the feeling nonetheless. Dancing in a group had a strange contrast of being absolutely surrounded by people and also being utterly alone. It reminded her of underground clubs she and her friends had gone to growing up, feeling the lights and the sounds overwhelm you. 

_ I’m in the corner, watching you kiss her. Ooh. I’m right over here, why can’t you see me? _

Sophia sang along with the words, swaying to and fro with the movement of the crowd. It reminded her of the waves of the ocean. 

_ I’m not the girl you’re taking home, I keep dancing on my own!  _

Sweat dripped down Randall’s face as he finally asked her to take a break a few songs later. Sophia agreed and followed him back to the table Jack had scoped out, pulling her hair back and fanning the back of her neck. 

Jack waved and patted a seat next to him. “Hamish went to grab drinks, you guys want anything?” Randall asked for a Jack and coke and Sophia decided on a gin and tonic. 

“I can’t believe how hot it is!” She laughed again. Something about alcohol made her more giggly. 

Randall wiped his face in response. “We don’t get out much, this is a blast.”

“I thought Americans drank and partied every night, do you not?” Sophia quipped. 

“I wish. Usually we stay at home and drink, easier to behave that way. Plus Hamish is killer at making drinks,” Randall nodded towards the bar and raised his hand in a half wave. 

As Sophia turned she spotted the man who must be Hamish. He was tall, taller than Randall, and built just a bit wider in the shoulders. He looked out of place in a nice button up rolled to his elbows and dark jeans but he moved through the crowd with ease. There was a certain athleticism about him that his two friends possessed as well. And, Sophia noticed with a blush, he was incredibly handsome. So much so that she felt a heat blossom in her chest, and she turned back to the table quickly and started at her hands, ignoring Randall’s smirk. 

“Ah, is this Sophie?” 

She turned, suddenly shy, and took Hamish in up close. He had a low voice and grey blue eyes that crinkled with a smile. For a second too long she stared, finally snapping back into herself before sticking her hand out in an introduction. 

“Sophia Green.”

His hand was warm as it wrapped around hers and she felt a tingling sensation, similar to the one earlier from the dance floor. Later, Sophia told herself, as she tucked away the memory in her tipsy brain. 

“My apologies. Sophia, I’ve heard from Jack and Randall that you’re here for your masters too?” Hamish leaned on the table and waited for her to answer. 

“No, none of that talk,” Jack said. He balanced four shots in his hands that he set down to the table. “Now? Drink. School later.”

Hamish shrugged and took a glass, holding it to the light. “What is this?”

“Uhh, peach vodka. I figured that was easiest.” Sophia wrinkled her nose but took the glass anyways. It was like bonding, but with something unpleasant. 

Randall raised his to the middle of the table and waited until the other three clinked glasses before tapping the shot to the table, then downing it in one. The bitter taste lingered in Sophia’s mouth and she tried not to cough before shoving the straw of her gin and tonic into her mouth, but it really was an atrocious flavor. Hamish didn’t flinch as he took the shot, and Jack simply shook his head at the taste. 

Again the warm flow of alcohol passed through her stomach and she felt herself rocking back and forth with the beat of the song. Something happy and with a strong bass drum beat. Finally with the vodka gone from her lips, the sting of lime and seltzer took Sophia to a happy place as the three boys talked. Watching the dancers she thought about going back out alone but knowing she would look like a fool she stayed in her spot by the table simply watching. 

A man passing by tripped and grabbed her arm for support and at first Sophia didn’t think anything of it, but as his bracelet touched her skin a jolt moved through her. She looked up to make sure he was alright but stopped when her eyes finally focused on his face. 

Everything around her was frozen still. The music stopped, the dancers motionless, and the drinks that previously swirled around in their glasses showed no sign of continuing. Sophia took in a deep breath, terrified at what she was experiencing. Jack, Randall, and Hamish all mid laugh stood at their places around the table ignorant to what was happening. 

A rushing sound slowly built around her but Sophia ignored it. Instead she shook off the man’s hand and got up to try to figure out what the hell was happening. She reached out and touched a droplet on a bottle of beer and it came to life, sliding down the glass like nothing was out of the ordinary. 

A louder noise caught her attention and Sophia flinched. “Hello? Is anyone there?” But before she got a response her vision went black and she felt herself being sucked down. 

Her feet landed on cement that was hot from the summer sun. A shaky breath startled her but she realized the sound was coming from her and she tried to steady it. Looking around Sophia felt more and more confused. She was in a neighborhood that she had never seen before and didn’t recognize from any movie or book. A basketball court laid before her. Tall brick buildings and honking car horns meant it was a city somewhere, and ahead a group of young boys who were flipping a coin to see which team would start with the ball. They couldn't have been older than ten. 

“Excuse me?” She called out to the boys. 

None of them paid her any attention. She swore in Greek slightly under breath and started walking to them, calling out with no luck. Just as she approached the closest one she spotted his bracelet, the same one that the man at the bar had on. 

“Where did you get that?” But no one noticed her. One of the teams won the coin flip and cheered, the boys moving away from their tight formation and out across the asphalt. The heat started to get to Sophia and she fanned her face unsure of how the kids were trying to play a sport out in it. 

Soon it was obvious that none of the boys could see or hear her. Sophia grappled with this thought while trying to blame this hallucination on the drinks she had blown through during the night. Maybe it was the gin that did her in. 

She made her way to a bench to watch the game, confusion swirling around her mind. The boys yelled and hollered, obviously enjoying themselves. Sophia kept an eye on the one with the bracelet, trying to figure out why she was experiencing this with him. The game seemed to last forever. One team would score a few points, then the other would catch up and run the other way. American basketball was never something Sophia had been particularly interested in but these children were passionate and playing because they loved it. Something about that kept her attention and she even found herself cheering when the ball went through the net, knowing no one could hear her. 

After about fifteen minutes the boy from the bar broke away with the ball. Sophia sat up straighter and gripped the metal below her, hoping to see something that would clue her in to why she was here. As the ball dribbled down he sped away from the group but they were quick on his heels. Shouts followed him but there was no chance they could catch up. He launched it into the air and Sophia held her breath as it sailed through the air. 

“YES!” The small boy yelled, his friends running up behind him cheering. His teammates all slapped his back and shoulders in appreciation but he stood in the middle of the court unmoving. Sophia stood and walked up to find out why he hadn’t started to play again when the world around her started to turn black. Her heart raced and she took the last few steps. 

“Why am I here? What brought me to you?” She mused. 

The small boy grabbed his bracelet with one hand and he held it out in front of him, beaming. He pulled it to his lips and whispered something too quiet for Sophia to hear before turning and running down the court again. 

“Wait!” The rushing was back and growing louder by the second. “Please, I don’t understand what this means?” 

Before she could say anything else she was pulled under the darkness, every sight and sound around her gone.    
  


The bar slowly came back into focus as Sophia blinked, clearing her vision. The basketball court was gone, along with the sounds of the city and the small team of boys. Sophia was terrified she had fainted or screamed or something, but nothing had changed. 

“Hey, sorry about that. Are you okay?”

Sophia looked up into the eyes of the man the young boy had grown into and resisted the urge to cry. Something welled up inside of her that was hard to fight and she suddenly felt exhausted like she had run a marathon. She nodded and stood after he passed, muttering to Randall about finding the restroom. He called something after her but she rushed away ignoring his voice.

Just as she opened the bathroom door the pain gripped her. It caught her off guard, the shooting agony up her left arm, and stole her breath. Luckily no one was in the room with her and she slumped against the tiled wall for support. Sophia squeezed her eyes shut and counted to ten to try and distract herself but the blinding feeling from her arm was too much. Voices outside caught her attention and she moved to a stall as the pain finally began to dissipate. 

One breath in, hold it two, three, and out on four. Her hand tingled as the feeling came back to her fingers and Sophia relaxed. The same thing happened after her last...episode and she had recovered quickly after that. Hopefully this would be the same. 

Leaving, she checked her hair in the bathroom and wiped away a stray tear or two before deeming herself fine. Sure, her eyes were a little unfocused from the alcohol and the pain but other than that no one would be able to tell anything had been wrong. 

As she pushed the door open a hand reached for her coat jacket, yanking her away from the bathroom and behind whoever was outside. 

“What the hell?” Sophia shouted over the club music. “Jack?” 

Jack stood defensively before her, his knees bent and hands out in front of him, looking in every corner of the bathroom. “Are you okay? Is there anyone else in there?” Sohpia shook her head before he went in, the door swinging closed behind him. Sophia grabbed it to follow but a hand on her shoulder held her in place. 

“Were you alone Sophia?” Randall sounded more serious than Sophia had ever heard him and she shook his hand off. Just before telling him the truth something inside of her said to lie. 

“There were two girls when I came in. I didn’t get a good look at them and they left quickly. Why? What the hell are you doing waiting outside of the girl’s bathroom?” Randall looked at her without saying a word and she noticed Hamish standing behind him with his arms crossed but his eyes focused on the door. 

“Randall!” She said louder this time. Finally he looked down at her and had the decency to look sheepish about their situation. As he opened his mouth to reply Jack emerged shaking his head. 

“Gone. No one there,” he said running a hand through his hair. 

“Is this some American thing? Follow a girl alone into a bathroom?” She felt anger rising through her and she moved back from the trio. They all looked at her curiously and Sophia fought the urge to run. 

“No, god, you must think this is so creepy,” Jack finally said. He took a step towards her but Sophia mirrored him and took one back. He raised his hands in surrender. “C’mon, let’s go back to the table and we can talk.”

She wanted to say no. She should have refused and gone home, calling it a night. Watched TV until she sobered up and started preparing her classes for the next week. But the smile that Jack gave her was genuine and she caved. 

“Fine. But you have to stop following me and being weird.”

Jack laughed and led the way back. The tension was gone and Sophia tried to shake the feeling that something else was going on. 

“So what the hell was that?” She asked once they sat back down. 

The three boys exchanged a look and Sophia was about ready to leave again. Hamish took a breath and finally spoke, “We thought we heard something and wanted to make sure you were alright. There’s been some attacks around campus lately and it’s not always safe. We’re sorry for scaring you, but sometimes it’s easier to act first and explain later.”

“Oh,” Sophia looked down at her drink. If that was true she felt terrible for jumping to conclusions. She took a drink to fill the space. 

“Well, I think this calls for more shots. Anyone up for an icebreaker?” Hamish asked before winking. Randall and Jack cheered and he left for the bar. 

The four spent the rest of the night drinking and making dares that somehow only Randall took a part in. He was so outgoing and relaxed that whatever the three asked he didn’t seem to mind. Sophia hoped that the blip in the night would be forgotten and that she could become fast friends with the group. They were great fun and always found something to do. 

After Randall approached a strange man and kissed his cheek they finally declared him the winner. Sophia offered to buy him a drink as a prize and Hamish accompanied her to the bar, talking about the different kinds of alcohol that would put Randall over the edge. Hamish had an extensive knowledge of drinks and what mixtures would taste like gold but treat him like poison. He had a way with words that she liked. Sophia giggled at his description of a particularly bad hangover he had dealt with and looked up at him, thinking that she never wanted to forget this moment of utter happiness and fun and a thought struck her. 

She knew what had happened with the shell and the bracelet. It wasn’t a hallucination or some kind of drunken dream. 

She had walked through something real. They were memories. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you and feedback is always appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has read so far! I'm having so much fun and this story is going places so get ready :)

Sophia regretted the night out immediately when she woke up. 

Well, no. That wasn’t true. 

What she regretted was the hangover that came with it. She cracked her eyes open and ran to the bathroom, fighting the urge to empty her stomach as payment for her night of fun. The pounding headache was just an added bonus she got for free. It reminded her of the first few months of going out back home; the rebellious freedom to do what you pleased, when you pleased, and never feeling like things will catch up to you. Like you’re moving fast enough that all the bad is just deflected. But time passes and people grow up. Sophia missed the nights with her friends that they ran around like they owned the city. But the hangovers she had somehow forgotten. 

A few hours she was feeling well enough to move to the kitchen where she tried to make breakfast, but the smell was too much and she moved to the couch instead. The TV had a long selection of movies ready for her and Sophia tried to find one that caught her interest. Her mind was fuzzy, not too much was clear after the second round of shots Hamish had bought them. 

Her phone buzzed so loud Sophia jumped. She tried to laugh but ended up gagging, and shut her eyes until she could focus. Phone. Where. 

_Are you dead?_

Sophia let out a sarcastic laugh and texted Randall back, saying she felt like her head was about to split open. 

_Want food? I can bring something by. Protein helps with hangovers_

It was a nice sentiment, but the thought of eating had Sophia rushing towards the bathroom and ending the pain that had lodged itself in her belly. She stumbled back to the couch with a groan. 

_No thanks. From what you told me you three can’t cook worth shit_

Sophia imagined her friend laughing as he read her text, knowing he was most likely mocking her accent as he said it to himself. 

_You and Hamish were cute last night ;)_

Sophia had the phone to her ear before she knew she had dialed. 

“I knew that would get you,” Randall laughed into the phone. 

“What happened? Did I do something embarrassing??” She felt nervous and out of breath as she scrambled to remember the evening. 

“No. He’s not even here, just saw how you kept looking at him.” Randall sounded serious but he spoke plainly. 

Sophia let out a sigh and rolled to her back. Leave it to her to let alcohol convince her flirting with the first boy she found attractive was the best idea ever. “You certain?”

“Yeah, jeez Soph it was just a joke.” He paused for a moment. “But like, do you like him?”

“No!” She shouted. “I was drunk, I don’t even know him. Everything is a good idea when you’re drunk. Like trying to drink a cup full of salt.”

“Oh, that’s right. Poor Jack. I wonder if he’s up yet.” Sophia could hear Randall walk somewhere and shout for the younger boy who responded from too far for her to hear. Randall shouted something else back before swearing lightly under his breath. 

“How are you fine? I swear you drank more than I did,” Sophia wondered. “There were too many rounds of shots to count.”

“I uh, quick metabolism. I usually bounce back quickly from a night out.”

“Next time I’m making you try ouzo, we’ll see how you hold up then.” Sophia had many nights back home that ended in a fuzzy blur from drinks of the stuff with her friends. 

“What’s that?”

“A Greek drink. Tastes like black licorice, it’s good.” Randall made a gagging sound and Sophia laughed. She felt much better. 

“Alright, I gotta go. I’ll talk to you soon though!” Randall said before hanging up.

Sophia smiled at the thought of her new friend and was so glad she had met Jack on her first day. The group really was close and although she didn’t know Lilith all that well, she was sure something bound them together. Maybe they were on a sports team together, Randall had mentioned something about living together but that was never explained. 

After a few cups of water and a sandwich she was faring much better than when she first woke up. A thought started to bug her and it grew in the back of her mind as she restlessly walked the length of her apartment. What happened with the bracelet in the club was too similar to her experience with the shell to ignore the signs that pointed to being the same. But what was it? A memory? Triggered by her or the stranger? Or was it the object itself? What brought it to her? She sat and put her head in her hands, silently begging whoever was listening for an answer. There had to be a logical explanation. 

More than anything she wished she could talk to her sister about this madness. While Sophia was rational and scientific in her approach, her sister was loud and optimistic and wildly creative in everything she did. The two had a good balance and could often see angles that the other could not. They made a terrifying team and Sophia hoped wherever her sister was she was safe and taken care of. All that creativity tended to make her a bit forgetful when it came to self care. 

For the rest of the weekend Sophia had the same questions floating in her mind as she tried to understand what had happened. They repeated themselves as she washed her dishes, organized some books, and tried to write out lesson plans. Mostly what she succeeded in was writing down what she knew about the ‘experiences’ as she started referring to them. Sophia worked best with her plans laid out in front of her and writing things out seemed to keep her rational. 

On the side of her notes from class on Monday were rough drawings of the seashell and what she could remember of the bracelet. She had reached a point of desperation that maybe the two items were connected visually, but that was a dead end almost as soon as it began. Below it she had tried to write out the basics of each experience knowing something had to be a connection. 

_Tingling. Darkness. Memory. Pain._

The condensed list felt too simplified, but made her realize there was a sort of pattern when these things happened. _Magic?_ She added jokingly with a smirk. Her pen tapped against the notebook while she tried to think of anything else as she noticed her professor approaching. 

“So with that in mind, can anyone tell me why this case was so important?” 

Shit. Sophia didn’t even know what page they were on. She tried to quietly thumb through the textbook index but the small class made it difficult to get away with much. No one answered and the professor sighed. 

“ _Because_ , people, with this case we could finally tell that religion was prevalent in these countries that had up until then been considered uncivil. This one find proved more valuable than any other artifact at that site because we had to shift our view on every other discovery we had made about these people until then. Having that one outside perspective literally changed history.”

Maybe she should tell someone. But who? Randall would think it was a joke. Jack would probably bring her to a therapist and Vera...who knew how Vera would react. No, for now it was better than Sophia kept her mouth shut. 

“I can sit here and tell you over and over that this was important, but that would defeat the purpose of grad school. I want you to write me a paper about a find that changed history. And,” she added as an afterthought, “make it personal. Get in there, get your hands dirty. I want to know why it was altering to you, okay?”

Students around her rushed to move out the door but Sophia was still engrossed and lost in thought. The list on her paper was missing something. It was so close but just out of reach which frustrated Sophia to no end. What was happening to her?

After class she made her way to the small office of other TA’s on breaks. Most of them had their headphones in and were typing away, leaving two of the six seats in the back of the class empty. Her bags dropped to the floor and sat down with a thud. Sophia made a deal with herself that after thirty minutes of studying she could go back to the list of her experiences but her resolve quickly melted away and she found herself staring down and tapping her pen against the notepad in no time. She had to solve this mystery. 

“C’mon Sophia, you can do this.”

“You always talk to yourself here?” A familiar voice asked softly. 

Startled, Sophia looked to her side and saw Hamish sitting at the next desk over. She had been so unaware that she never even noticed him sit. Pulling out his books he offered her a smile which made her blush, and she silently swore at herself for the reaction. 

“No, of course not, just thinking about a paper I have to write. I don’t have a topic yet,” she lied easily. While speaking she moved her elbow to cover her notebook. 

“Remind me, you’re studying paleontology?” 

“Archaeology. But you’re close enough,” she smiled. 

“Ah,” he snapped his fingers jokingly. “I’m in the psych department so everything else looks Greek to me.”

Sophia shot him a dirty look and glanced down at her list. It was still out in the open and there was little she could do to put it away without being suspicious. Or weird. Hopefully he wouldn’t notice. 

“Anyways, I can’t even think of a topic for this paper let alone information to fill twenty pages. It has to be about a discovery that changed history but there’s only so much of that,” Sophia bent down to pull out her old laptop and get things started. “Archaeology has so many wonderful things and has helped tell the stories of thousands of people. It preserves a record where little else can, by nature it is seeped in facts and reality. Where do I even begin?”

Hamish lifted the corner of his mouth in a knowing smile. “I’ve never thought of it that way. Lilith is vocal about anti-colonizer education and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that there’s always more than one side to a story. Maybe...look at a change as a bad thing and see how that affected people on the receiving end instead of those in museums?”

Sophia was silent for a moment as she processed. “That’s...a very good idea. Why didn’t I think of that? Flip it around. Change isn’t always good.” 

The room around them transformed over the couple of hours they spent researching and typing away. Sophia paused typing every so often to bounce an idea off of Hamish, and in turn he discussed the study he had been looking at in class and had to analyze from a twenty first century point of view. The two worked well together, never interrupting a train of thought as the sun slowly crept down the wall. Multiple people shuffled in and out but Sophia and Hamish stayed put. 

Eventually she couldn't ignore the rumbling in her stomach anymore and shut her laptop, shocked at how long the two had sat together. 

“I should probably get going, early class again tomorrow.” Sophia stood and stretched her back. 

“I’ll walk you home, it’s on my way” Hamish replied easily. 

While the two packed up their bags, one of the other students leaving the room knocked over a display of small cloth figurines from the archaeology department, sending them tumbling to the ground. Sophia moved to help pick them up and noticed that as her fingers grazed the surface of the first one she grabbed a familiar tingling sensation took over her hand and arm. She pushed the thought down and handed them to the grateful student who offered a weak smile as she rearranged them back onto their stand. 

The doll looked like nothing special. It was a crude representation of a person that had been hand stitched together as a toy to play with for a child, and if she squinted hard enough Sophia swore she could see dirt still caked into the blue outfit it wore. Something about it was special, it called to her. 

“Ready?” Hamish startled her for the second time. Sophia nodded and followed him out the door. 

About halfway down the hall she patted her pockets. “I forgot my phone, I’ll be right back.”

No one was in the room when she entered. The pull of the object was too much, and Sophia hastily shoved the doll into her backpack to take home and study. If she was going to try and understand what the hell was going on she couldn't ignore signs that so obviously called out to her. 

She offered Hamish an innocent smile as she met him, eager to get home.   
  


“It’s a little creepy, actually,” Sophia spoke out loud to no one. 

She sat alone on her couch staring at the doll. It had been an hour since she got home and worked up the nerve to actually try and do something with it, but so far all that meant was it came out of the hiding spot in her coat pocket. 

Sophia huffed. The ‘glow’ was still there, her hand ached to touch the rough fabric and learn what it wanted to show her but she was nervous. This was the first time she had willingly tried to surrender herself and it was hard for her to take that last step. 

“Okay. C’mon Sophia, you can do this.”

Her courage spiked. Before Sophia could talk herself out of it, she reached out and picked up the doll. The rush that time wasn’t so bad, she was expecting it and it didn’t suffocate her like the past few times had. 

The total darkness still made her uneasy though. 

This time Sophia opened her eyes to a quiet forest. It was peaceful; a crackling fire was somewhere in the distance and the rustling of tree branches and leaves made a soft symphony around her as she took in the moment. Looking around it appeared to be a village, clearly in the past from the racks of drying fish meat and wooden and animal skin homes. It smelled wonderful as Sophia approached one of the campfires to see what was cooking. Some sort of stew boiled above the hot flames and were divine but she couldn’t stand the heat for too long. No one was around and she ran her hands over the sides of a tent, enjoying the rough texture. Her hands felt grainy when she pulled away and she cleaned them on her jeans. Through a few of the buildings a body of lake peeked out with canoes tied to a post on the shore, the waves lapping gently into the rocky sand. This was a geography she was unfamiliar with but felt that it was somewhere on the American west coast. Sophia was overwhelmed with the idea that she was walking in a part of history and nearly missed the interaction she was trying to see. 

“ _Sk-woye_!” 

A small voice called out from around the corner of a home. It belonged to a small girl who stomped out, clearly upset. Her long hair was braided down both shoulders and she had bone accessories held that kept it in place and out of her face, which was contorted from her eyebrows pulled together and her small mouth pouted. 

“I can’t find it!”

Sophia was confused if the child started speaking English or if she somehow understood her, but she pushed that thought aside as the girl let out a loud sigh and ran around a building. The black flats she had worn were not holding up well in the forest environment and Sophia made a mental note to wear sturdier shoes in the future. 

“Did you check by the _hode_?”

The small child sighed and matched over to the fire to examine the seats for whatever she was missing. A wooden bowl and eating utensil were all she found and for a moment her face was overcome with intense sadness, but the woman she called to emerged from one of the tents and the child put on an angry face again. 

“I can’t believe I lost it.” Whatever it was had a strong effect on the girl. 

“Maybe the mink stole it, you know he is a little trickster. He probably hid it somewhere nearby that you are meant to find.” This must be her mother. The look of love and adoration for the child was obvious to anyone who could see it. “Here I’ll help you look. Where have you been already?”

The two discussed finding the missing item and Sophia found her mind wandering as they sat and talked by the fire. She walked over to the edge of the lake and felt the sun on her face, but it wasn’t warm like the autumn evening she had left. This was a winter sun. 

“I found it!”

Sophia whirled around and jogged back to the fire, cursing herself under her breath for her lack of attention. The child was standing next to the meat drying rack holding up the same doll Sophia was holding back in her apartment, except this was vibrant and beautiful, not shoved onto a display that had surely sun bleached the colors away. 

“Ah, maybe the mink simply wanted a snack,” the mother joked as she picked up her daughter and carried her to the fire. “Tell me, what is so special about this doll?”

The girl looked surprised. “You made it for me! You and grandmother.”

“We did. Do you remember her?” The little girl shook her head sadly. “She was a wonderful woman. Raised me to be strong, like you, and always made the best jam from the salal berries for the harvest season. When I was little I had a doll just like this, and she would remind me that even though it was an object it held memories, so I was to be kind to it.”

“She remembers? Like me?”

“Not the doll as a person, _my-manuh duhch-oh._ But the body she lives in. Objects all around us hold tight to what is important and carry it onto the next life in case we need to remember. Our past swirls tight all around us, but it takes a special kind of person to be able to see it.”

“Can I see it?” Her small hand reached out in front of her as if she could grab the nonexistent item and bring it to her. 

“Not yet. But someday soon The Sight might be passed to you,” she spoke as she stroked her daughters dark hair. The girl stared down at the doll as if she would come alive and spill her secrets. 

Part of Sophia wished that she would. This memory, or whatever she called it, seemed to be tailored to her. As the mother told her story Sophia creeped closer and felt her heart rate increase at what she was hearing. The sound of her heartbeat swirled with the words in her ears and she fought against the idea that she was actually able to see history and not just going crazy. Over the past few days the thought had occurred to her that with everything going on her mind just played tricks to allow her to cope, but no, this woman in front of her confirmed that some people were able to walk through history. 

The thought shook Sophia down to her core. 

“ _Sk-woye_? Can you show me how?”

The girl looked up at her mother with wide, innocent eyes and it was all Sophia could do to hold herself back from speaking up, knowing no one would hear her. 

“Soon, my love. When you’re a bit older.”

Sophia wished more than anything that she had someone to teach her what the hell was going on. If this was something she could control instead of be powerless to it would change so much. She wrapped her arm around herself as she felt the memory wind down and knew the darkness would take her soon. 

“I want to be powerful.”

The voice was small and Sophia almost missed it, but the little girl whispered it again into the ear of her doll and there was no mistaking it. She walked over closer and crouched down to eye level with them. 

“I don’t want to be told what to do, I want to grow big and strong and never be scolded again.”

Sophia knew the power dolls or other toys had over children who loved them dearly. They were a tool used by parents but acted as friends when no one else was around to listen to the secret words whispered by a child. 

“I want to walk many lives.”

Those were the last words Sophia heard as the world around her dissolved, the trees and the houses and water all turning to a dark mist that was too thick to see through. Her eyes held tight to the small child who voiced desires into the world that many have but few formulate and realized that they were somehow connected. Soon her face too was gone and Sophia squeezed her eyes shut to hold it in her mind as everything moved around her. 

This was something real. She wasn’t crazy, but she needed to learn more. 

As soon as the blinding pain shot up her arm Sophia knew she was back on her couch, safe in her little apartment. The forest was gone to another time. She gasped as the agony consumed her and she doubled over on the couch, struggling to draw in any air. 

Someone pounded on the front door and yelled but Sophia’s ears were ringing so loud she couldn't hear what they said. Her fingers finally were able to move and she counted backwards from ten to focus on anything except the shooting pains through her left arm. Only when she was able to make a fist did she stand up, calling out that she would be at the door in a moment. 

Sophia peeked through the door hole to see a familiar face and opened it slowly. 

“Hamish?” The man in question burst into the room and started searching the room, ignorant to her protests. “Hamish what the hell? What are you doing here?” 

Swinging around to give her a quick glance he seemed angry. Sophia’s stomach dropped trying to think what she had done. 

“Do you mind telling me why you’re here?”

Nothing was getting through. Hamish sniffed around and after pacing the living room three times finally came to a stop in front of her, the nervous energy barely controlled in his dark blue eyes that somehow shielded him from her questions. 

“I heard you yelling, it’s ten at night and I worried something happened. Are you the only one here?” He approached her slowly, eyes moving up and down her form to make sure she was alright. Sophia took a hesitant step backwards. 

“It’s what?” Something about that seemed off. There was no way it was that late, when she got home from studying it was around five and she had cooked and cleaned a bit but there was no way it was that late. That meant at least an hour has passed since she sat down with the doll. 

“Were you just yelling, Sophia? Are you okay? I want you to know I’m here to help.” Hamish rested one hand on Sophia’s upper arm and stood close which made her head a little woozy, but only because her mind was racing. 

Before time had stood still. Back in the bar she was able to touch the condensation on a beer bottle and watch it roll down while everything else was frozen around her, even the people. The first time with the shell the clock had ticked over to the next second as she woke up. But now...she willingly went into this memory and time had actually passed. 

“Hey, you don’t look so good,” Hamish’s grip got stronger as Sophia felt her knees give out at the realization. He moved her slowly to the couch with an arm around her waist to hold her up. “Sophia, talk to me.”

“I...I’m fine just…” Sophia couldn't put anything into words as her mind moved too fast to process. 

Hamish cleared his throat. He watched her for a moment and grew worried. Although they had only met twice, he felt Sophia was easy to read and the normally quiet, polite girl was no one like who sat in front of him. Her pretty features were pulled into a strange contortion of pain and confusion and the leader inside of him wanted to sooth her and fight whatever evil had wormed its way into her life. But ultimately he knew what that ringing sound meant. 

“Sophia I have to ask you something.”

At first the words made Sophia wish she had never answered the door. Hamish had a serious look in his eye that made her nervous and she was worried about whatever was about to come out of his mouth. Had he seen her steal the doll? Did he know she had convinced herself that if she wished she could travel through time and relive moments in history based on an item that had been there? Was the weight that that secret held so obvious to others that they worried about it for her?

Hamish cleared his throat again and looked away from her. His mouth opened and closed before he finally asked her the question on his mind. 

“Sophia...were you performing magic?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got my inspiration for this chapter from my home. I grew up near Seattle and the Salish Native Americans (which is a regional name for multiple tribes) are local to this area. For the language I tried to break them out phonetically but I know wasn't perfect. I've always loved and admired the Native American culture of this area and hope it was interesting to read! 
> 
> As always, feedback is appreciated :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thank you for being patient while I worked on this chapter. To be completely candid, I went through a bad breakup last month and lost all my motivation to write. Slowly but surely, it is coming back though! I plan on finishing this story just like I had before and now have a stronger outline. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this part!

“Was I...what did you just say?”

Hamish still sat close enough that his ragged breath passed over Sophia’s skin, raising goosebumps in the heated moment. She was acutely away of her own chest rising and falling and how the semi-stranger in front of her roamed across her body with his dark blue eyes in search of anything out of the ordinary. In most cases this would have been a helpful action but with just the two of them alone on the couch it came off intimate. She blinked slowly and dropped her eyes at the same time his hands moved back to his side. 

Magic? Was that what was happening to Sophia? Was it something ancient flowing through her veins that pulled her into the memories of strangers in the past like she had guessed on her silly list? It sounded ridiculous but after the past few days it might have been the answer that made the most sense. 

And it was a thought she previously had. 

“I asked...you know what, forget it. I’m sorry, I should go.”

“Wait -” but the words died in her throat. Sophia  _ had  _ to know if there was something being hidden from her. “Is...is it real? Magic?”

Hamish froze, now realizing what he had done. “No. Like I said, forget about it.”

“So you’re just leaving? After barging in here like that?”

He sighed, slowly running his hands down his thighs as he thought. “My parents own this building but I’m kind of the landlord when they go out of town. Once a week I do walk-throughs to check on things and it’s normally during the mornings but I got stuck on campus today. I heard you yelling and thought…”   


“I-I’m fine,” she tried to convince herself, but the words fell flat. Hamish’s features softened at her obvious lie. 

“I’m sorry, this was a weird night. I hope you feel better, I’ll leave.” After bringing a glass of water to the young woman he paused at the door, turning back once more to speak. “You know who you should speak to? Vera Stone, the Chancellor. She’s good at this sort of stuff.” And with a smile he left. 

Sophia let out a breath of air she didn’t know she had been holding. Why would Hamish suggest she speak to her cousin? Did he know they were related? She shook off the heavy feeling and put her need for sleep above her need of understanding the confusion, vowing to think about it more in the morning. 

But of course the day had other plans for her. 

  
  


“He just showed up? Like a knight in shining armor?”

Sophia groaned into her cellphone at Randall and his idioms. Maybe calling him on her way to class wasn’t a good idea. 

“No. He was angry at first. Demanding to know what was going on while I sat in my home alone at night. It reminded me of you and Jack at the club…” She drifted off for a moment and Randall coughed uncomfortably. “Is this typical of American boys? Or just the ones I’ve been  _ so  _ lucky to befriend?”

“No, I promise that was a one time thing. Belgrave is a weird place but we just want you to be safe.”

“Fine.” Sophia sighed, trusting Randall perhaps more than she should. “Next time one of you tries to stalk me at night give me a heads up first. Then I can at least fix my hair.”

Her dark haired friend laughed a full, belly laugh that infectiously caught Sophia in a giggle. “I may have only known you a few weeks but I am fully confident in saying this; shut up. You know you’re pretty and I’m sure little Ham Sandwich was fully aware and left to, I don’t know, preserve his honor.”

“I’ve told you Randall, I don’t -”

“Yeah, yeah. Sure,” he cut her off, sounding cheeky. “That’s what they all say. Don’t sweat about it. So what are you up to today?”

“Class. Working on a paper. I don’t have to TA, which is nice.”

A sound in the background of wherever Randall was caught his attention and he covered the mouthpiece to shout something back, and from the tone of it Sophia could tell it was crude. 

“Sorry. Watching soccer and these  _ idiots _ don’t know how to kick!”

“It’s okay. I gotta go anyway, just got to class.”

“Hey, what are you doing for lunch? I could sneak you into the dining hall at my dorm. It's a real American experience.”

“Sure, text me where to meet you,” Olivia replied with a laugh. Randall was proving to be a real friend. 

As Sophia reached the lecture hall a glow radiated somewhere to her right, the pull of it aching through her fingers as she averted her eyes to continue on her way. No. She refused to acknowledge whatever that feeling was. It would not happen again. 

The seat was cold as she plopped down. Not many people had arrived yet which was strange, but Sophia took the opportunity to read over her notes and mark an idea or two for her paper. The prompt of turning a finding around was intriguing, there were so many places it could go depending on who’s point of view she wanted to illuminate. 

There it was again. Something across the room. The pen in Sophia’s hand shook with the nerves taking over her body as she desperately tried to push the thoughts of what history the item held from her mind. 

“No,” she whispered to herself harshly. 

A student down the aisle shot her a look but Sophia ignored it. She took a deep breath in, held it for a moment, then let it out in a rush. There. Now it was gone. 

“Good morning class…” the professor started as he walked into the room. 

But his words were soon drowned out by some kind of roar filling Sophia’s ears. She dropped her head into her hands and tried again to control her breathing, focusing on the chair below her and her ankle boots with the zipper and the...and…

The glowing basket from across the room. It was  _ calling  _ her, Sophia was sure of it. But that was insane. 

Maybe she could text Randall for a distraction. Phones weren’t allowed in class unless it was an emergency but this classified as one. Sophia dug around in her bag but something white hot hit the side of her fingers and she yanked her hand back, fear rippling just below her skin at how close she had been to touching a glowing object of her own. Paranoia that someone noticed flooded her stomach and she looked around the room but no eyes met her own. By now the shaking of her hands stopped her from listening to her professor at all. She had only been seated for ten minutes but she had to get out, the white walls around her felt like they were closing in. 

Abruptly Sophia stood. The wild look in her eyes stopped any words from her professor and as she passed by Sophia let out a mumbled apology before bolting from the classroom. The door slammed behind her but the roar hadn’t left her ears. She missed someone calling out her name in the corridor, her goal of escaping the confining building too pressing in her mind. 

But even the rush of fresh air meeting her skin didn't help. Sophia’s eyes took in the campus around her and glowing orbs seemed to be everywhere. A statue across the quad. Someone’s bag slung over their shoulder. A bracelet dangling from a thin wrist. 

It was too much. Everything cried out for her to reveal their secrets and tell the story what they had clung to for who knew how long. The sound of it was everywhere and Sophia bit her lip in an effort to hold back tears as she took off running down the stairs. 

Past the red brick building. Down the ramp. Through the covered passage between the classrooms. Up two flights of stairs. Finally, the heavy wooden door came into view and Sophia wiped the tears streaming down her face before barging in. 

“Ms. Green? What -”

“Make it stop!” Sophia yelled, standing in the middle of the room. She was terrified of touching something by mistake and wrapped her arms around herself, squeezing her eyes closed. “I-I don’t know what to do!”

“Vera, what is this -”

“Get out.” Vera paused. “Kepler, I said -”

“Fine! But you better have an explanation for this later.”

Whoever was in the room left and Vera rushed around her desk to help Sophia into a seat. But as soon as her hands touched her shoulders Sophia flinched backwards, panic in her eyes. 

“Don’t touch me! I can’t, I can’t hold it back much longer.”

“Hold what back? Sophia, are you hurt? What’s going on?”

“Something’s happening to me,” she whispered around a shuddering breath. “I don’t know how to explain it, I sound insane.”

“I need you to try,” her cousin urged gently. Sophia licked her lips and tried to regain her composure. 

“I’ve been having these...episodes. When I touch certain objects. It’s like I can see their history, what happened to them in the past. It started with a shell I have from my grandmother and I thought I had imagined it all, but then I tried it again and it was  _ real. _ The air, the trees, the sea, it was all real.” Sophia knew she sounded insane. But once the words started the rest just tumbled out. After a month of silence she spoke the words out loud to confess her secret and it felt too good to stop. “I don’t just know, I  _ see  _ it. Like I go back in time. I was in a bar and I touched this man’s bracelet on accident and saw a basketball game, and then a doll from class and there’s this glowing that happens, and I can hear it too but today everything was glowing and I couldn't - it was just too -”

The stress of the morning finally caught up and Sophia sobbed into her hands, the weight of her secret removed from her chest. Saying it out loud she realized the roar in her ears had faded and she felt more in control of whatever force decided to thrust itself upon her. 

“Is there anything else that happens? The glow, a noise, and...you see the memories?”

Vera didn’t sound mad. She wasn’t skeptical, either, which threw Sophia off for if someone had done the same thing to her she would have called security to have them escorted from her office. 

“After I touch whatever it is, yes. Then I...see the memories.”

Her cousin looked deep in thought. The room sat heavy with Sophia’s confession and she willed Vera to say something to break the silence. Instead of speaking, however, she walked back to a cabinet against the wall and pulled out a bottle and two glasses. She set them down on the dark wood desk before taking a seat at her desk, motioning for Sophia to find her own. Without a word she poured the red liquid out evenly. 

“Drink?”

“It’s eleven am.”

“Well,” Vera paused, “I think when you hear what I have to say you’re going to need it.” 

With a shaky hand Sophia reached out to pick up the drink. It gave off a tangy, sweet scent that reminded her of summer cherries.

“You’ve been kicked out of your home, abandoned by those you need, and finally had an encounter with magic Sophia,” Vera clinked her glass against her cousin’s. “Welcome to the family.”

  
  


Sophia stayed a long while with Vera after her confession. 

“So magic is real then?”

Vera nodded through draining her second glass. “Yes. But it is a coveted secret that if released could spread chaos, so I trust that this conversation will stay between us.”

Sophia leaned back in her chair and smiled for the first time in days. The stress rolled off of her in waves as she realized her mind wasn’t unraveling under an insane delusion. Something  _ had  _ happened to her, but what it was still seemed a mystery. 

“Are there others? With magic?” Her mind went to Hamish and his questions immediately. 

Vera paused before answering. “I think that is a question best saved for another time. There’s a lot to explain and right now that I’m not able to, but the short answer is yes.”

“So you can all travel through time too!” Sophia was elated she wasn’t alone. 

“Well...no. That is a new one, and something that I haven’t heard of so it will require more research on my part. Most of us have a physical power, one that allows us to change the landscape around us. We cast spells to keep the balance. Reading an object's history through touch is something completely foreign to me.”

“Oh,” Sophia leaned back, dejected. 

“But that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened before. Let’s keep this between us for now while I look into it, but relax in the knowledge you are not alone anymore.” Her cousin cast her a rare smile and raised her glass up in a cheers before downing the rest of it. “I have to say, I was happy to find out it was you coming to Belgrave and not your sister. Magic usually manifests in the eldest sibling and selfishly I wanted to see if anything would happen when you got here. Never setting foot here could have held all that power back inside of you.”

“Coming here...activated this?”

“Indirectly. It’s...well, I need to stop saying things I’m unsure of. These are all theories. I’ll call you in a few days to let you know what I find but for now lay low. Don’t talk to people you don’t know, and stay nearby in case anything happens.”

Sophia felt nearly lightheaded from the relief of knowing she had someone on her side. The past month felt like a whirlwind that she finally settled into. She wasn’t crazy. Magic was real. Those statements seemed to contradict each other but for the time being she would allow them to coexist peacefully in her mind. 

“What happens if the glowing starts again?” Sophia chewed her lip nervously. 

“Focus very hard on the items around it that are not...glowing. Try to make it fade into the background. But do not touch anything that glows.”

That was something Sophia could agree with. The cousins talked for a while longer before Vera decided she couldn't put off calling Kepler back any longer. Sophia smiled, genuinely for the first time, and took her leave feeling the lightest she had been in months. There would be answers, nothing could get past Vera and survive unknown. 

Randal was waiting outside of the cafeteria. He held up a hand to get Sophia’s attention and let the two of them in with his badge, chatting about the soccer match and how poorly it went until they got inside. 

“You can pick? From all of this?”

Sophia’s eyes were as large as the plates to eat from. Rows and rows of hot food options stood before her. Randall got a chuckle out of her expression. 

“Salads are over there, pizza is that way, I think there’s steamed veggies on that side but I never make it that far, and whatever meal they’ve subjected us to eat will be right down the middle. C’mon, you can follow me.”

“This is for the whole school?”

Randal shook his head as he picked up trays for them. “Usually just freshman, the youngest. Gives them a chance to have a place to meet and get food without the stress of budgeting.”

Together they raided the rows of food, Randal somehow walking away with three plates of food to Sophia’s one. He picked up slices of pizza, fries, meatloaf, and just about something from each section of the color wheel. Beside him Sophia looked to be starving herself. She found a salad and some chicken which to any normal person would be enough. 

“You look happier,” Randal commented halfway through his first plate. “Lighter. Did something change?”

“No,” Sophia laughed, “I...I think I feel more settled. Into living here, going to school, leaving home was hard but this feels right now.”

“Good! I’m glad to hear that Soph.” The nickname was one she hated but coming from Randal she couldn't be upset.

The food tasted wonderful, despite that pre-frozen tanginess, and Sophia could roll her shoulders without stress tangling knots in her muscles. Sure, there were still questions she couldn't answer, but at least she hadn’t lost her mind like she feared earlier that morning. 

The memory of glowing objects faded the later in the day it got. Randal stayed long after they finished their meal to supervise the underclassmen who apparently needed someone to watch them eat lunch and Sophia skipper her afternoon lecture to head home. Sophia’s friend tried to explain it was in case fights broke out or someone showed up drunk but he seemed to enjoy people watching, so Sophia left him without any fuss. He mentioned going back to town with Jack later that week and she was surprised by how quickly she agreed to the half formed plan. There weren’t many people in her program Sophia wanted to socialize with and she tended to stick closer to her comfort zone which was turning out to be Randal, Jack, and reluctantly Hamish. The boys were kind, and she felt accepted. Those were big steps in her first month of living in the United States. 

Despite the autumn chill in the air the sun peeked through the afternoon clouds and guided Sophia home. Brown and yellow leaves fluttered down from their trees and decorated the walk, her boots kicking the small pieces of art out of the way for fun. The world seemed brighter. Safer. Nothing glowed and nothing called to her for help releasing their memories. Sophia was completely at her own beck and call and nothing could change that. 

Her keys slipped out of her fingers by accident at her front door. Sophia scooped down to grab them, nearly smacking her head on a large object. At first she couldn't think of what it was. But a moment later when it clicked she took a startled step back, looking around to see if anyone was there. 

A piece of paper was pinned to the door with a giant knife, shoved far enough into the dark wood that Sophia knew she could never get it out alone. It looks bloodied and well used. The leather handle was worn from use and nicked in places all over, and the sight was altogether horrifying. Quick breaths passed in and out of her chest as she tried to think. Could she pull it out? Should she? 

She knew right away what would happen if she touched that knife. The ringing in her ears came on suddenly, but boy, was it loud enough to let her know that this object wanted her to touch it, to release the memory stored inside. Vera’s words were faint. Focus on other objects around you. Fight the urge. But this was personal; someone left it as a message for her. Just as Sophia moved to wrap a trembling hand around the handle a voice spoke low behind her. 

“We need to talk.” 

Sophia turned in time to see a flash of dark, short hair and a familiar face before something collided with the side of her head, knocking her out cold. 

What the hell was Lilith doing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is always appreciated! Thank you for reading


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